A Tale of a Boy and His Flower

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Katniss getting shot really ruined the wedding mood. Finnick had just announced publicly to everyone about our wedding and the details of when it was to be held, when Katniss was rushed in from the jet after being shot in Two. 

I whip the white curtain that separates Johanna's bed from Katniss. 

"I'm alive," Katniss says rustily. 

"No kidding, brainless." I walk over and plunk down on her bed "Still a littlesore?" 

I reattach the morphling drip back into Katniss's arm. 

"I was down here for a regular check up when I caught Johanna stealing from you again. They started cutting back her supply a few days ago. I think they're afraid we're going to turn into one of those freaks from Six. She had to borrow from you when the coast was clear. Didn't think you'd mind." 

"I don't." 

I smile at her. "I know but I did. So I got her a hook up to my old feeder. She'll probably come back tomorrow to get some more from you." Katniss shifts in her bed. "They've got this head doctor who comes around every day. Supposed to be helping us recover. Likesome guy who's spent his life in this rabbit warren's going to fix us up. Complete idiot. At least twenty times asession he reminds me that I'm totally safe." 

She manages a smile. It's a truly stupid thing to say, especially to a victor.As if such a state of being ever existed, anywhere, for anyone. 

"How about you, Mockingjay? You feel totallysafe?" 

"Oh, yeah. Right up until I got shot," She says. 

"Please. That bullet never even touched you. Cinna saw to that," I say.

"Broken ribs?"

"Not even. Bruised pretty good. The impact ruptured your spleen. They couldn't repair it." I give adismissive wave of  my hand. "Don't worry, you don't need one. And if you did, they'd find you one, wouldn't they?It's everybody's job to keep you alive." 

"Is that why you hate me?" Katniss asks.

"I don't hate you, I just don't like you sometimes," I admit. "Jealousy is certainly involved. You got to express yourself with Peeta anytime while I hid for years. Plus with yourtacky romantic drama and your defender-of-the-helpless act. Only it isn't an act, which makes you moreunbearable. Please feel free to take this personally."

 "You should have been the Mockingjay. No one would've had to feed you lines," she says. 

"True. But no one likes me," I tell her. 

"I like you and they trusted you. To get me out," She reminds me. "And they're afraid of you."

"Here, maybe. In the Capitol, you're the one they're scared of now." 

We fall into a silence that I break a few moments later. "Despite the fact I may not like you sometimes, you are still invited to the wedding." 

"Wedding?" She looks mildly panicked for a moment. 

"Calm down princess, it isn't yours." I say, "It's mine. All you need todo is show up and pretend to be happy for Finnick and I." 

"That's one of the few things I won't have to pretend, Amaryllis," She tells me and I nearly smile. 

"I think you just got promoted from being disliked to liked on occasion." 

Katniss smiles softly. "Are we friends?" 

I pretend to think it over for a minute. "I guess we could be." She nods but doesn't look away from me. I sigh, "What is it? You look like you're dying to say something."